Improvement in pedals for pianos



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N-PETERS, PHcm-LITMOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. n C4 tant' EDWARD ZACHARIAELOF LOEHNBERG, NEAR WEILURG, PRUSSIA.

Letters Patent No. 86,621, dated February 2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN PEDALS FOR PIANOS, 82C.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters-1=atent and making part o( the sms.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatl, EDWARD ZAQHARIAE, of Lochu-A berg', near Weilburg, Nassau, Kingdom of Prussia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pedals for Piano-Fo1tes, &c. land I do hereby declare that thc following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view of my invention, showing the application of it to a'piano. l

Figure 2 is an inverted plan and partial section pf the principal mechanism contained in a box on the under side ofthe piano-chest.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line x a: in iigs. 1 and 2.

Similar' letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all the iigures.

The object of my invention is to construct pedals for pianos, whereby theperf'ormer is enabled to operate the dampeis with more freedom and variation than heretofore, and to greatly increase the eifect of the performance; and, to this end,

The invention, firstly, consists in connecting the pedals with a mechanism enclosed in a box on the under side ofthe piano-chest, whereby the said pedals can be operated bythe feet f .the performer in two directions, that is, both upwardly and downwardly.

The invention, secondly, consists .in a peculiar arlrangement of levers, whereby the dampers may be lifted from the strings, in sections, at the will of the performer, which could not be accomplished with the pedals as generally constructed.

To'enable others skilled in the ait to make and use the same,.I will proceed to describe myinvention, with reference to the drawings.

A is the bottom of a piano, to which a box, B, is attached, containing the principal mechanism.

To this box a proper frame, C, extending downward,

is secured, for the reception of the pedals D D D2 D3. These pedals are constlncted similar to those heret fore used.

For the better operation of them, an adjustable foot' board, E, is also attached to the frame C, which may be adjusted by means of set-screws, a, and an inclined board, b, so as to suit any performer.

e are stops, which serve to prevent .the pedals from being raised too high.

The pedals D D D2 D3 are operated by the performel-s feet in two directions, as will be shown.

When it is desired'to raise them, it is done by resting the foot on the adjustable board E, and working the pedals on the under side-'by means of the fore part of the foot. Each one of the pedals may also be raised to one or more positions, as willbe explained more particularly hereafter.

The depression of the pedals is accomplished in the usual manner, with a varied result in the operation of the danlpers.

The pedals, having their fulcrum at d, are provided with rods, c el e2 e3, rising upward into the box B, and operating the levers F G H I, when the pedals are raised, and'the levers, K, K, K2, K3, K, and K5, when the pedals are depressed. l

The result of the action of each pedal being distinct,

I will show their action separately, and as they' come iu succession, after having described the principal portion of the mechanism.

The levers F G H I are situated inside of the box B, and, being levers ci' the first order, have their fulcra at f, in the wooden lugs g, said lugs being firmly secured to an iron bar, h, which stretches nearly the whole length of the box B, and is shown in blue lines in g. 2.

One end 'of these levers is operated by the pedallods, while the other is provided with adjustable pins, i, which act in turn ou the combination-levers K K1 K2 K3 K* K5.

These levers consist of two hinged boards, k k', which are kept apart by the springs l. I

The boards k' are provided with stops, m, which extend through slots in the boards 7c, and serve to hold the boards in aproper position.

Next to the lever K is the lever L, which is not operated directly by the pedal, but receives motion from the levers K and Kl by means of projecting pieces, n, and by the action of a jack, o, which is held in suspension by brackets' p, secured respectively to the levers KK.

' q is a lever, turning on an independent fulcrum, and is acted upon by the projecting piece n, fast on lever K, thereby carrying the levergLwith it by means of' the adjustable connecting-pin o'.

L is a lever, of similar construction as L, and is also operated in thesame manner, by the levers K* K5.

Right below the above-described levers is arockingboard, M, which is acted upon by the lever F and arm ml, and which transmits motion to the levers L and K5, by means of jacks, 'm2, as shown in g. 3, and in bluelines in iig. 2.

N, N N2, N3, N 4, N5, N*, and N, are levers, situat'ed in the inside of the piano-chest, in close proximity to and on level with each other, for the purpose of lifting the corresponding dampers in the usual manner, by means of jacks.

O is an angular rocking-lever, which is operated by the pedal D, for the 'purpose of shifting the key-board.

I' will now proceed to show the operation of the pedals, and the result derived therefrom.

The pedalD may assume three positions, when raised.

When it reaches the first position, which is attained by a slight .pressure of the foot on the under side of the pedal, one end of the lever F has been depressed, while the other end, which is provided with the pin t, has been raised, thereby lifting the combination-levers K and L until the upper boards k strike the bottom of the piano-chest and lift the levers N N2 by means of the upright lifting-rods s t, which causes the dampers that are in connection with these levers to be lifted off the strings.

An increased pressure of the foot on the pedal F will overcome the action of the springs 1. l, which tend to keep the boards It' L" apart, and allow the lever F., by means ofthe tail-piece f', to lift the rocking-board M, which again lifts the leversK5 and L', by means ofthe jacks Im', and also the levers l N, which finally lift the dampers in connection with them.

The pedal D havingr now gained the second position, and being checked from rising further by tl le action oi' the springs l of the levers K5 and L', may yet be raised still further, by applying a still greater pressure, whereby the boards l.; of the levers K5 and L' are lifted still further, and carry with them the levers K and K3, by .means of the bars n', which latter' levers liit the levers N4 and N3, thereby relieving another section of strings of their respective dampers.

Thus it will be understood how the peribrrner may operate the damper-s of certain sections of strings, in-

dependently or together, to increase the eti'ect of the 4 play.

In depressingthe pedal D, the angular'lever O is operated, whereby the shifting of the key-board is effected.

It is sometimes desirable to keep the pedal D in its depressed position forsorne,'during which the performer may want to operate other pedals with the same foot. .io enable him to etect this, a spring-pawl, al', is secured to the ripper side ofthe pedal, which pawl may be forced into a recess, lll, in the frame C, by a slight pressure of the performers foot, whereby the pedal is kept in its depressed position.

lhe pedalD may assume three positions when raised, and three positions when depressed, producing a different result by its action on the levers.

The upright rod e' is provided with a cross-bar, c*, at its upper end, so that it will operate .the lever G, when the pedal Dl is raised, and the levers K and K, when the pedal is depressed.

It will be seen from the drawings that the operation is similar to the one described above, yet eiiecting a diierent combination of certain sections of dempers.

The pedal D2 may assume three positions in moving upward, and two positions when depressed, producing also a different combination of certain sections of dampers, as may be seen from the drawings, its rod ci being also provided, at its upper end, with a cross-bar, e, so that it will operate the lever H, when the pedal D3 is raised, and the levers K2, K3, and Ki, when depressed.

The pedal D3 has three positions in its upward motion, and but one position when depressed.'

The upright rodex is also provided with a cross-bar,

seem e, at its upper ond, whereby the lever I is operated when the pedal is raised. But if the. p'edal D3 is dcpressed, it operates the levers KI and .Kib directly, and the remaininglevers K Kx lv2 K3, L'and L', through the inter-position of the rocking-boaad l, b v means of a short bar, c', extending from the cross-bar c, and b v the jacks o and the projecting pieces n. Thus it will be seen that the pedal Df, when depressed, works like an ordinary pedal, thereby giving the pcrlbrmer who is not yet familiar with my improved pedal-arrangement, a chance tto peribrm as usual.

A. still great-cr variety of motions, whereby the dampers are lifted from the strings in series, may be obtained by enabling the performer to work two pedals with one foot, which is e'ected by arrangingI the pedals as shown in iig. l.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of mechanism, substantially as shown and described, with the pedal D, whereby either one ora series of da-mpers may be operated for the' purpose herein set forth.

2. The construct-ion of the pedals D D DTD, in such manner as that said pedals may be operated bot-h in an upward and downward direction, to control the action of the dampers, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the pedals with a series of levers, whereby one or more stops are obtained in both stantiully as and for the purpose herein described.

4. 'Ihe peculiar i'orm and arrangement of the pedals, whereby the performer is enabled to operate two pedals with one foot, without changing the position of the lat; ter.

5. rlhe adj ustable i`oot-board E, applied to the pedals ot' a piano, substantially as herein shown and described.

(i. The combinatioh of the pawl with the pedal D, for holding the latter in position, substantially as shown and described.

- 7. ".lhe construction ofthe combination-levers K Kl Kz K3 K K5, and L and L', substantially as herein shown and described.

8. The combination-levers K K l72 K3 K* K5, L and L', in connection with the levers N N N2 N3 N N5 N NW, the levers F G H I, and the interposing rockingboards :WI and P, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony' whereof', I hereunto set my hand, this 24th day of September, 1868.

EDWARD ZAOHARIAE.

iVitnesses z F. WIn'rH, P. BARTHEL.

the upward and downward motions ot' the pedals, sub- 

